1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine which is provided with a relatively large number of pay lines crossing each other in a complicated manner, and also to a control method thereof and a control program therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a slot machine which is one of a gaming machine includes, as an important component thereof, a symbol display means for variably displaying and stopping a plurality of symbols for each columns.
Such slot machines can be roughly divided, based on forms of the symbol display means, into two types: a type adopting a mechanical reel and a type adopting a simulated reel as the symbol display means. The mechanical reel type includes multiple reels having multiple kinds of symbol along the periphery, and the symbols can be variably displayed and stopped by mechanically rotating and stopping the reels. On the other hand, the simulated-reel type includes a display device for displaying multiple reel images, and the symbols can be variably displayed and stopped by spinning and stopping the reels on the display screen by electrically controlling the driving of the display device. Slot machines also can be roughly divided into two types of a 3-reel type and a 5-reel type based on the number of reels. The 5-reel type in particular is widely popular among players in foreign casinos since relatively many symbols are provided to a machine as a whole, which can enhance the variety of amusement of games. In other words, slot machines can be roughly divided into a 3-mechanical reel type, a 3-simulated reel type, a 5-mechanical reel type, and a 5-simulated reel type.
One disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2505204 is a typical example of the 5-mechanical reel type.
According to the patent document, when scattered symbols are displayed on each of five mechanical reels but not aligned along an activated pay line (which may be called an “activated line”), it is assumed that a specific winning combination has been made, and as a result, a profit therefor is given to a player. To give an example, the specific winning combination is made in a case that when stopping the rotations of all reels results in a scattered symbol belonging to one of all the stopped reels being on an activated line. With this as a trigger, the four reels without the scattered symbols on the activated line are automatically rotated in a forward or reverse direction. As a result, scattered symbols align along the activated line. The patent document discloses that the technical idea is applicable to the simulated-reel type.
On the other hand, JP-A-2001-276313, JP-A-2002-28279, JP-A-2002-78855 and JP-A-2003-180908 disclose typical examples of the 5-simulated reel type. Machines disclosed in these patent documents are common in that profits can be given to players more often by providing a free game as a bonus in which players easily win when trigger symbols are aligned along an activated line and until a predetermined number of games are finished thereafter. Spinning of simulated reels is automatically stopped in a free game.
According to JP-A-2001-276313 and JP-A-2002-28279, in particular, a special symbol appears at at least one symbol position, when a secondary free game subsequent to a basic game (which may be called a “main game” depending on manufacturers) is finished. The special symbol is temporarily replaced by a symbol thereunder, which contributes to making a winning combination if applicable. JP-A-2002-28279, incidentally, discloses that some of the special symbols are replaced by puzzle symbols serving as pieces of a large picture.
According to JP-A-2002-78855, symbol positions are displayed on a display and at least one pay line associates with a matrix of the symbol positions. Each pay line is composed of the equal number of symbol positions to the number of columns in the matrix and does not cross all of columns.
According to JP-A-2003-180908, games are executed so that a specific symbol as a target symbol stopped at a winning position brings a win. In this case, reel images in which an unmasked area having a form agreeing with a contour form of the specific symbol is arranged at the winning position are displayed on a display device.